Magic Words: 101 Ways to Talk Your Way Through Life's Challenges [Hardcover]

Howard Kaminsky (Author), Alexandra Penney (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 2, 2002

A comprehensive collection of powerful phrases to help you face a variety of life’s challenges.

Travelers to foreign countries often carry handy phrase books to help them navigate uncharted territory. Now there’s a guide for getting through tough times in plain English–an essential selection of well-honed phrases to help you soothe and smooth your way through any prickly situation.

Divided into three sections–Magic Words to say to yourself, to others, and for universal situations–this invaluable guide contains the verbal keys to the kingdom. Protect yourself in the midst of a tongue-lashing (“Are you actually yelling at me?”); politely remind an obnoxious cell-phone abuser to be courteous (“Don’t forget, you’re not in a phone booth”); or chant this mantra when things seem to be slipping over the edge (“If you want to gain control, you have to give up control”).

Life is full of little, and big, stumbling blocks. Whether you’re dealing with an over-inflated ego, meddling in-laws, or even creating the problems yourself, this sharp little handbook has all the Magic Words you need to get through the toughest of times.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Devised and gathered by two longtime friends, Kaminsky (ex-publisher of three major publishing houses) and ex-Self editor Penney (How to Make Love to a Man), "magic words" (resonant phrases and mantras one can repeat to oneself or to others) provide a handy way to access modern folk wisdom. Each phrase is illustrated with vignettes. Saying "it's thimble time," for example, reminds readers to protect themselves from small annoyances, just as a real thimble protects against pin pricks. "Why am I smiling when I feel angry as hell?" suggests that repressing feelings has its costs. "Get your ego out of it" borrowed from a psychiatrist advises backing off from certain confrontations. Asking "Are you actually yelling at me?" can work to defuse an abusive supervisor, while "I'm mystified" can smooth out an uncomfortable situation without rancor. "Let's quit while we're behind" encapsulates the decision to cut your losses, and "this is a pewter opportunity" implies that an imperfect chance may well be worth taking. In the realm of universal advice, "handle with flair" reminds readers to elevate the mundane, and "time is honey," the authors' final phrase, puts a jujitsu twist on the grim "time is money." As with most fable-tinged advice, these words may seem to contradict (there's advice on ultimatums and on second chances), but this remains an entertainingly effective package.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Review

“Magic Words is a delightful celebration of who can be at our best.” —Walter Anderson, Chairman and Publisher, Parade

“A little powerhouse of a book . . . makes life’s little stumbling blocks more bearable by providing you with ‘magic words’—phrases you can say like mantras to guide you through tough times . . . So get off the fence, go after your dreams, and take your place at life’s banquet table.” —Bookpage

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 304 pages
• Publisher: Broadway; 1 edition (January 2, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0767906683
• ISBN-13: 978-0767906685
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,752,180 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars You could do better, March 5, 2002

By 

Odd Bird "Eccentric Woman" (Las Vegas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Magic Words: 101 Ways to Talk Your Way Through Life's Challenges (Hardcover)

This book is a very easy to read little set of "wise" tidbits, told through anecdotes (mostly about very "improtant" multi millionaires and anonomous famous people. The book is broken up into three sections: Magic words to say to yourself; Magic words you say to others; and finally Magic Words universal. Nothing really profound and its not very deep. Neither of the co-authors have a background in Psychology, so I sort of wonder what the base their authority on. If you really want something like this, but more insightful, try either "Dont Sweat the Small Stuff" or my favorite "Finding Joy: 101 ways to free your spirit and dance with life" All three of these are based on the same premise of changing yourself and your behaviors so you can enjoy life, but the last two are just MUCH better.

3 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars you need this book, July 15, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Magic Words: 101 Ways to Talk Your Way Through Life's Challenges (Hardcover)

This book was very helpful to me. There were a number of situations in which I recognized myself, and could apply the advice. Try reading a few pages and you will see.

5 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Words can Hurt or Heal, September 30, 2002

By 

Rebecca Johnson "The Rebecca Review" (Washington State) - See all my reviews
(COMMUNITY FORUM 04)    (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Magic Words: 101 Ways to Talk Your Way Through Life's Challenges (Hardcover)

They can also drive you insane if you let them. In fact, I'm pretty sure you can think yourself into happiness, depression, frustration and just about any other emotion you can think of.

What are you thinking of today? Are you stressed about a situation? Are you dreaming of a vacation? What are you saying to yourself right now? When you start to compare what you are thinking about to how your emotions are rolling along, it becomes very apparent that you either have to change your way of thinking or the words you use will start to control you in the wildest ways.

Howard Kaminsky and Alexandra Penney have been great friends for 20 years or more. Together they have created a rather interesting book.

Words can Hurt or Heal. They can also show that we have manners or that we know how to behave in various situations. "Magic" words can give us hope, show us things in a new light and can help us cope with situations that would actually overtake us if we did not control our thinking.

Are you dealing with a stressful situation? When are we not dealing with stress! Anyway, this book will give you some ideas on how to use "Magic" words to deal with this stress. Sometimes you are just dying inside and you don't show it on the outside. There is a story about a woman who was going through a terrible time. She cried for weeks and then finally she started to say magic words and felt herself moving from tragedy to success.

"It's a rough patch in the long road of life."

The authors make you rethink a few phrases, like "Time is Money" becomes "Time is Honey." They encourage you to see those beautiful moments in time that taste sweet.

Other ideas like telling people you really need them or you need their help, gives the situation a new focus and people are more willing to help you out of your problem.

Words are extremely powerful, use
them with caution.

Maybe the most powerful words in the world are: "I love you."

I'm pretty convinced that can change lives.

~The Rebecca Review